What & When Was 1st Canon L Lens Produced ?

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
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-- Ken
Comment and critique is always appreciated!
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krb wrote in post #13582100
Did you look at http://www.canon.com/c​amera-museum/camera/lens/ ?

Thanks,

Just wonder if it was this one or not:

FD500mm f/4.5L Marketed: May 1979

A super telephoto lens with a large aperture of f/4.5. An artificial crystal fluorite lens element(second) and a UD glass lens element(4th) having ultra-low dispersion minimize the secondary spectrum and achieve high resolution and high contrast without color blur or flare by axial chromatic aberration at the edges of the subject. The rear focusing system is adopted. With the marketing of this lens, naming of S.S.C.(Super Spectra Coating) and S.C. (Spectra Coating) were discontinued. Lenses employing special optical elements, such as fluorite elements, UD(Ultra-low Dispersion) glass elements and ground and polished glass aspherical lens elements, came to be called "L" (Luxury) lenses. After this lens, "L" becomes a synonym for Canon's high performance lenses.

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

-- Ken
Comment and critique is always appreciated!
Flickr
Gear list

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

Tony
Two Canon cameras (5DC, 30D), three Canon lenses (24-105, 100-400, 100mm macro)
Tony Long Photos on PBase
Wildlife project pics here, Biking Photog shoots here, "Suburbia" project here! Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood pics here

airfrogusmc wrote in post #13582317
Canon used terms for the 85 1.2 instead of L it was called aspherical because of the element it had to correct for spherical aberrations. If a lens had fluorite it was called a fluorite lens. IIRC the FL-F 300 5.6 fluorite was the first artificial fluorite lens and was first sold in 1969. So I would say that would be the first lens that would later become the L series.

Nice hint!

Then I found something here:

New FD 85mm f/1.2 L & New FD 85mm f/1.8

If you were to think the FD 85mm f1.2 L was Canon's first and only high speed lens with aspherical lens element, this older, non-'L' lens has been available since 1975/6. Click Here to the dedicated pages for these two older version of the FD telephoto lens. Another lens at this focal length is a Special Purpose lens with soft focus control (It came with FDn mount and I don't think there was any chrome ring version).

We're getting close

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

tonylong wrote in post #13582423
So, is your question what was the first lens designated by Canon an "L" lens (in its present usage) or is it what was the first lens built with what eventually became "L"-quality optical components?

I want to know when Canon 1st started to marketing its lens with the official "L" there.

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

x_tan wrote in post #13582466
I want to know when Canon 1st started to marketing its lens with the official "L" there.

Ah, well OK, that should narrow things down!

Tony
Two Canon cameras (5DC, 30D), three Canon lenses (24-105, 100-400, 100mm macro)
Tony Long Photos on PBase
Wildlife project pics here, Biking Photog shoots here, "Suburbia" project here! Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood pics here

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

x_tan wrote in post #13582497
New FD85mm f/1.2L Marketed March 1980

So, it wasn't the 1st one.

That's right it wasn't -- the FD300 f/4L came out in Dec. '78:

http://www.canon.com …ta/100-800/fd_300_4l.html

But that doesn't mean it was the first "L" -- I don't have a clue!

Tony
Two Canon cameras (5DC, 30D), three Canon lenses (24-105, 100-400, 100mm macro)
Tony Long Photos on PBase
Wildlife project pics here, Biking Photog shoots here, "Suburbia" project here! Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood pics here

Canon 5D3 + Zoom (EF 17-40L, 24-105L & 28-300L, 100-400L II) & Prime (24L II, 85L II, 100L, 135L & 200 f/2.8L II; Zeiss 1,4/35)
Sony α7r + Zeiss 1,8/55 FE
Nikon Coolpix A; Nikon F3 & F100 + Zeiss 1,4/50
Retiring

x_tan wrote in post #13582061
Hi All,

I just can't find any info regarding THE 1st even Canon L lens on the internet.

Any link or book I should look for?

Regards,

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year

While Canon came out with a AL lens in March of 1971 it being a FD35mm 1.2 the first designated, "L" (for luxury) lens, came out in July of 1982 and was a FD14mm 2.8L.

Source Canon EF Lens Work.

Wayne

Do what you love and you will love what you do, that applies to both work and life.

Channel One wrote in post #13583737
... "L" (for luxury) lens...

Really? "L" means "luxury"? That's seems like an odd designation for a lens targeted at professional photographers.

Tom